Light in the Mist of the Dark
by xXTheGameXx
Summary: *3 Part Sequal to Lost in the Dark*. It's been eight months since Sarah died & everything is going along fine, but Morgan wants to find someway to connect with his neice Kimberlee.
1. Part I

**Light in the Dark**

**-ONE SHOT Sequel to Lost in the Dark; Michael has been tried and found guilty of serial molestation. There were more girls before Janie and Kimberlee. This is after the trials-**

"Look at the two of them." Prentiss noted, nodding towards Janie and Kimberlee. Kimberlee was comforting a crying Janie, who just had to rehash her two years of trauma in front of a jury. It had been eight long months since Michael was caught. Janie finally stopped crying and hugged her big sister. Kimberlee smiled and they walked back over to the agents.

"You did good today, kid." Derek said patting Kimberlee's shoulder. She looked up at him and muttered a thank you. She took Janie's hand in hers and they walked down the steps of the court house to a hot dog stand on the side walk. Emily stepped up to Morgan's side and crossed her arms across her chest. "You think she'll ever move on from this?" He asked her with a hint of self-doubt in his voice.

"I think, seeing Michael behind bars will bring her some peace, but the fact that she'll never see her mom again will stick with her." Prentiss answered. Derek sighed. Emily patted his shoulder, knowing he still felt a twinge of guilt for not being there for his nieces, but he was here now.

JJ, Hotch, Rossi, Spencer, and Garcia walked out of the court house and approached Prentiss and Derek on the steps. They looked down on Kimberlee and Janie sitting on the steps eating their hotdogs. Kimberlee would be heading off to college in a year. She was a junior in high school and already looking to go to so many colleges. She'd been so excited for the past few months, but the ones she was looking at were not ones in Virginia. Derek wasn't sure what would happen to Janie. She depended on her big sister to watch out for her, especially now more than ever. He didn't want Kimberlee to not go to college, but it was a tough choice to stay with her sister or have a promising future.

A sudden cell phone ring shocked the silence of the team. Hotch flipped open his phone and listened to the voice on the other end.

"Morgan, they want you and the girls back in the judges' quarters." Hotch said as he shut his phone. A confused scowl crossed over his face.

"What for?" Morgan questioned him.

"They found your sister's last will and testament." Hotch said carefully. Derek's eyes widened in shock. The rest of the team mirrored his expression. Garcia took initiative and got the girls and brought them to the rest of the group.

"We'll do that tomorrow. They've done enough for today." Morgan concluded. He took Janie's hand and walked his nieces back to his car to go home. Hotch nodded as he understood and opened his phone to call the judge back.

**-That Night at Derek's Apartment-**

Janie was in bed already, exhausted from a long day at the court house. Kimberlee was up, unable to sleep, and staring blankly at the television in front of her. Morgan slid a slice of leftover pizza towards her. Kimberlee looked down and a tiny smile swiped across her face. Morgan felt his heart lift a little bit. He'd only seen her smile a few times in the last few months and it was always at the small things. He watched as Kimberlee took small bites out of her slice as she stared into the light of the TV.

For a moment she actually seemed content. He knew from experience that she'd never be the same, but he wished that she would at least talk about it. She closed herself off from everyone, even Janie. Around her little sister, Kimberlee would just plaster on a phony smile to make her sister happy, but Derek saw right through it. He knew she was trying to reach out, but she just didn't know how. All her life, she'd been taught to stay strong and put on a brave face in the mist of fear. And right now, she was terrified of her own thoughts.

Suddenly, the TV switched off and Kimberlee was off to bed. Derek took the pizza box and threw it out. Kimberlee muttered a goodnight and headed towards her and Janie's room.

"Wait a sec, Baby Girl…" Derek said aloud. Kimberlee stopped mid stride and turned around to face him, but before he could finish she began to speak.

"I'm fine…it's okay." She said as politely as she could. She threw on one of those smiles and went to bed. Morgan sighed and let his head drop into his hands. He tried to relax, but his body stayed stiff. He got up from the couch and sluggishly dragged himself to his own bedroom to go to sleep.

**-At Work the Next Morning-**

Morgan gulped down his morning coffee and grabbed his brief case. Kimberlee straightened his tie and Janie wrapped his eggo waffle in a paper towel. Morgan thanked her quickly and reminded Kimberlee that she needed to be at the court house that afternoon. She nodded and patted down his tie. Janie grinned up at him and put a smiley face sticker on his tie. Kimberlee shook her head with a smile and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Tell Miss Penelope, that I say hello." Janie whispered into Derek's ear. She was trying to sound professional. Derek smiled and reached for the doorknob. "Oh and that I owe her a lollipop." Morgan smiled again and promised he would tell her. He walked out the door and headed to the BAU.

"Alright, Janie, what do you want for breakfast?" Kimberlee asked staring into the refrigerator.

"I want an eggo!" Janie chimed loudly. She giggled and reached for the snoopy shaped waffles. "I gave these to Uncle Derek too!"

"I'm sure Derek will be happy to eat those at work. If you pass me the box I'll put one in the toaster for you." Kimberlee answered with a small smile. "Get the syrup from the fridge if you want some." Janie jumped up from her chair and toppled over to the fridge and got out the syrup. She poured a little into a small cup to dip her waffle into.

"Kimi, why do you call Uncle Derek by his first name? Isn't he your uncle too?" Janie asked as Kimberlee took the waffle out of the toaster.

"It's complicated. Here's your waffle." She responded softly, but sternly. Janie let that go and put a bit of butter on her eggo.

"Do you miss mommy?" Janie questioned her big sister between bites.

"You've got to hurry up, little one, you've got camp." Kimberlee said avoiding the question. This wasn't the first time Janie's asked her that same question. Janie gobbled up her waffle and got her camp back pack from her bedroom. Kimberlee helped her slide on a light jacket. She grabbed the keys and she and Janie walked outside the apartment. She locked the door and walked after Janie down the hall.

**-At the BAU-**

"Is that Snoopy?" JJ asked Morgan as he walked in with half a waffle hanging out of his mouth. He nodded with a sigh and sat down between Prentiss and Hotch. He finally took the waffle out and caught his breath.

"Janie has a serious thing for that cartoon." He admitted between breaths.

"I see she also has a thing for stickers." Hotch noted with a small hint of a smile. Morgan looked down at his tie and instantly remembered Janie's smiley face sticker. He smiled and looked back up to see the rest of the team hiding laughs. Morgan bit his bottom lip and pressed JJ to start the briefing. She shrugged with a pleasant smirk and started the briefing.

As the briefing came to a close, Hotch held Morgan back to talk.

"Are you still planning to go to the courthouse today?" Hotch asked him.

"I talked to Kimberlee about it. We agreed to meet at the courthouse." Morgan answered.

"Then it's a good thing this case is in town. The police aren't ready for us yet, so we'll meet back here in two hours." Hotch finished. Morgan nodded and headed out the door to meet Kimberlee at the courthouse.


	2. Part II

**-Part II-**

**-Downtown-**

Kimberlee sat on the steps with a cup full of hot chocolate. She sipped a little as she looked around for her uncle. She wasn't sure exactly why he wanted to meet her here. He could've picked any other place to meet. There was something he wasn't telling her. She checked her phone for messages and found she had an unread text message, but she already knew what it was. She didn't dare open it. She looked at the date of the text. It was from more than a year ago, from her birthday. It was from her mom. All it said was "Happy Birthday, baby, I love you". It was her last birthday with her mom. She felt a tear drop fall, but she didn't want to wipe it away. It was the first time she'd cried since watching her mom die that night. She had nightmares about it at least three times a week. Those images ran through her mind every minute of every day. She tried hard to hide the pain, but it slowly crept through. Kimberlee knew one day the dam would break, but she knew better than to break in front of Janie.

She finally looked up from her unread text message and saw Derek getting out of the car with Garcia by his side. She smiled at Garcia's brightly colored bow on her head. She and Garcia had gotten very close in the past eight months. She smiled as Penelope embraced her as soon as they shared a step. Kimberlee gasped for air as Garcia let go.

"I'm here for you, Little Morgan." Garcia chimed in her motherly tone. She brushed Kimberlee cheek lovingly and handed her a batch of brownies. Kimberlee couldn't help but grin at the gesture.

"Does someone want to tell me why we're here?" Kimberlee finally asked.

"They found your mom's will, Baby Girl." Derek answered. Kimberlee's smile quickly faded. She showed no emotion. She wasn't prepared for this. So many questions passed through her head along with emotions swimming around her heart. Her grip on Garcia's hand became tighter. She stared up at her uncle not knowing what to say. Garcia looked at Kimberlee carefully as she nodded and muttered okay. She looked to Derek, knowing he had the same concern as she did.

"Are you ready for this? If you're not we can reschedule." Morgan pleaded. He wanted her to be okay with this, but he knew all too well that she never would be.

"Yea, I'm fine. I'll have to do it any way, won't I?" Kimberlee muttered. She let go of Penelope's hand and walked ahead of them into the building. Morgan sighed as Garcia rubbed his back comfortingly and they walked in after her.

**-At Janie's Camp-**

"Alright, kids, it's time to clean up what you're playing with and come to arts and crafts!" The all too perky camp counselor announced. Janie, along with her two friends Tyler and Julia, cleaned up their game of candy land and headed over to the crafts area.

"Today," another camp counselor began, "We're going to be making pictures of our favorite people." In an instant every child piped up that they were drawing pictures of their mothers and fathers and how they were the "bestest people in the entire world". Janie sat quietly and focused on her drawing of Kimberlee. She pictured the perfect place to hang it in her Uncle Derek's apartment…right in the front hallway. Everyone that came through the door would see it. Tyler looked over to her drawing and scowled. He was about a year older than Janie was.

"Why aren't you drawing your mom like everyone else?" Tyler asked her. Janie looked up from her drawing and frowned as she looked around at everyone's papers.

"My mommy died." Janie said when she dropped her head back down to focus, hoping this was the end of that conversation, but Tyler continued to question.

"Then why don't you draw your dad?" Tyler questioned again. Janie heaved a sigh. For just a moment, her thoughts went to Kimberlee about how she would try to stay strong and she looked Tyler straight in the eye.

"My dad had her killed." Janie said sternly. Tyler's eyes widened and he automatically went back to his own drawing. Janie tried to focus back on her drawing, but her own words had scared her, but that statement was true. She'd heard it herself in the court room. Along with being convicted of the terrible things he did to Kimberlee and Janie, he was also convicted of pre meditated murder. Janie didn't know exactly what that meant, but Kimberlee broke it down for her. She didn't go into detail, but she told her that just meant that he planned to hurt their mom. Janie was startled back to reality when the counselors announced that it was time to go outside. Before the other kids began to clean up she quickly drew in her Uncle Derek.

**-Back at the Courthouse-**

Kimberlee sat on the stiff chair between Garcia and Morgan. She tried her hardest to stop scratching, a habit she had gained when she was nervous. She knew she needed to stop when the backs of her hands began bleeding a little. Garcia moved her chair over and held Kimberlee's hands in hers as the judge joined them in the room.

"How's everyone, this afternoon?" Judge Collins greeted the three of them. Everyone smiled a little to be polite. "We're missing someone, where's your sister?"

"She's not coming." Kimberlee responded as politely as she could. "Can we please begin?"

"Of course…" Collins said with a frazzled expression on his face. He shrugged it off and called in his assistant. She strolled in with a TV on a stand. Kimberlee watched, as confused as Derek and Garcia, as she set up a video.

"She made a video will?" Derek asked Collins, very surprised.

"Yes. We could have a written copy for you tomorrow?" He answered. Morgan looked to Kimberlee for an answer.

"Let's just watch the video." She said coldly. Collins sighed again and motioned for the assistant to play the tape. In just a few moments Sarah popped up on the screen. In an instant, in Kimberlee's mind all she could see were the strangulation marks on her mom's neck and the bullet hole in her head. She blinked back tears as her late mom followed protocol and finally got to her last will and testament. She felt Garcia squeeze her hand. She squeezed back.

"So, I guess this is where I wing it then, huh?" Sarah began. "Well, this is it. Whoever is watching this, mom, Desiree, Derek, or my precious babies, please know I love you all so much." Her mom finished before taking a breath. Kimberlee was struggling to make the bullet hole and marks go away, it only faded for a while until Sarah began to speak again.

"So, let's get down to business. First off, everything has been left in my eldest daughter's name. Her name is Kimberlee Emily Morgan. If something were to happen to her everything would go to her younger sister, Jane Henley Morgan. If something were to happen to both of them I want everything split down the middle between my sister and my brother, Derek and Desiree Morgan." Sarah said with a heavy sigh. The video was coming to an end as she talked about other financial things. Then as it came to a close, Sarah brought up something else.

"Kimberlee, honey, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you, about Michael. I feel so selfish, you told me what he was doing to you, but I refused to hear you out. I'm so sorry, baby." Sarah said as tears streamed down her cheeks, but she wasn't done. "I don't want that sick, twisted, disgusting son of a bitch to have anything if what you've told me is true, but I hope to God that it's not. If it is…protect Janie with all your being. Your dad would be so proud of you. Be strong, honey, it's what you do and have always don best. I love you." Then the video feed went black. With her eyes overflowing with tears she held on to Garcia for dear life. She looked over to Morgan who had his eyes tightly shut as if he was trying to hold back tears. She looked over to Garcia who had tears of empathy fill her eyes to the brim.

"Do…um…I need to sign anything?" Kimberlee gurgled out between gasps of air. It was hard for her to keep her composure. "I have to pick up Janie soon…" She continued trying to hide her obvious mixed emotions.

"Wait, a minute…" Derek finally choked out. "The girls need a guardian; they can't stay on their own."

"There's something about a legal guardian in here somewhere…" Judge Collins trailed off as he searched through what looked like a million papers on his desk.

"Here we go, and I quote: "I, Sarah Morgan, hereby give full guardianship of both my daughters, Kimberlee Morgan and Jane Morgan to my brother Derek Morgan." Collins said simply and set the paper back in the manila folder he found it in. Derek sat in the stiff chair dumbstruck. He was supposed to take care of two girls and one was going to college in the next year and a half. How the hell was he supposed to do this? He took a few breaths and calmed himself down and thought back. They'd been living with him for the past eight months. He just had to think of this as more time with his nieces who were now his legal responsibility.


	3. Chapter 3

**-Part III-**

**-Inside the Courthouse-**

Derek was snapped back to reality when Collins began to speak again.

"So you have any sort of issues with the will? Do you have any concerns?" He asked Kimberlee and Morgan. They shook their heads in unison, signed the appropriate documents and walked out of Collins' office and outside.

"I have to go pick up Janie." Kimberlee mumbled as she searched her bag for her keys.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Morgan asked her before she could leave them.

"Yea, I'm fine. Janie's got someone to take care of her when I leave. That's all that matters." She said finally getting hold of her keys. Before she could take a step Morgan took hold of her by the shoulders and pulled her gently towards him.

"You matter too, you know." Derek said to her. He felt her shoulders drop a little. He looked into her eyes and saw so many emotions. He knew she hadn't heard that a lot. Since Janie was born, it'd always been about protecting her little sister, but Kimberlee never complained. She just let herself fade into the background and lead Janie through life as best she could.

"I'll see you guys later." Kimberlee said excusing herself. She shrugged Morgan's hands off her shoulders and went to find her car to go pick up Janie.

"She's in so much pain…" Garcia noted taking Morgan's hand in hers.

"She's gotta talk about it." Morgan added as they walked down the stairs. Garcia turned to Morgan and looked him dead in the eye.

"Sweetie, I know you mean well, but would you talk about something like this?" Garcia asked him with all honesty. Morgan shook his head and tried to think of an excuse, but nothing came to mind. He sighed again and took Garcia back to the office.

**-Kimberlee has picked up Janie from camp and they are in the car-**

"So, small fry, what'd you do at camp today?" Kimberlee asked as a smile crossed her face. She turned the wheel to steer down the road way.

"We drew a lot of pictures in crafts and played on the playground. We even watched a movie." Janie chimed. She ruffled through her backpack and took out the picture she drew of Kimberlee and Derek. Kimberlee pressed on the brake at a red light and looked at Janie's picture. She smiled, as she came to the realization of who the two people were.

"What made you draw me and Derek?" Kimberlee asked her as she handed the picture back and stepped on the gas pedal.

"They told us to draw our favorite people." Janie answered simply. Kimberlee noticed that her sister's tone had dropped, as did her head into her lap.

"Did someone tease you about your picture?" Kimberlee asked turning down their street to the apartment building.

"No." She responded slowly. Kimberlee parked the car in their spot and they got out of the car. She watched as Jane slowly put her backpack on her back and sluggishly go through the entrance of the building. Kimberlee stopped her in the hallway and knelt down to her level.

"Were the other kids drawing their moms and dads?" She asked her sister. Janie nodded slowly as tears welled in her eyes.

"Mommy can still be your favorite person, Janie. She'll always love you and watch you as you grow up." Kimberlee said to her. Janie's tears faded as she looked up at her sister and smiled.

"If she can see us, why can't we see her?" Janie questioned innocently. A lump began to form in Kimberlee as she tried to think of an answer. She swallowed hard and looked back to Janie.

"Think of it like a one way mirror. She can see in, but we can't see out." Kimberlee answered. She unlocked the door to the apartment and Janie walked in front of her and straight to the dining room table. Kimberlee watched as Janie ran back and forth from her room to the table with an empty scrapbook and pictures. She watched as Janie began cutting out hearts and pasting letters onto each page. Kimberlee sat down at the table with Janie as she decoratively cut out pictures of them and their mom. Janie looked up from her project and at Kimberlee.

"Can we give this to mommy when I finish?" Janie asked quickly. She went back to pasting as soon as the questioned escaped her lips.

"Of course." Kimberlee said with a small smile.

"You think she'll like it?" Janie probed.

"I think she'll love it." Kimberlee answered genuinely as she got up from her seat and went to get her own pictures.

**-That Night; Morgan is on his way out of the office-**

"Got any plans tonight?" Garcia chimed after Derek. She linked her arm with his and held onto his hand as they boarded the elevator.

"Kimberlee called earlier and said she made dinner and she had a surprise." Morgan answered.

"You think she's ready to talk?" Garcia asked him softly.

"I hope so, because I know I am." Morgan answered.

"Just don't push her too hard, my love." Penelope warned with a small smile.

"What? Why do you think I push?" Morgan asked her with a light defensive tone.

"Yes I do, my sweet prince." Garcia said innocently as she hugged him. "No pushing." Morgan scoffed jokingly. "Oh, and happy birthday, you." Derek smiled and hugged her.

"Thanks, Baby Girl." He responded as they went their separate ways.

**-At Home-**

"I'm home!" Derek called through the apartment as he walked through the door. He looked on the wall by the table and saw Janie's picture from camp. A large smile took over his face as he looked at Janie's favorite people. There was Kimberlee, Sarah, and smack in the middle of them, there he was. Derek's smile grew bigger as he put his stuff down by the door and continued to the living room and saw Kimberlee and Janie sitting down at the table with a cake in front of them.

"Happy Birthday, Uncle Derek." Kimberlee greeted him. Derek sat between the girls and kissed them each on their foreheads.

"Blow out the candles!" Janie exclaimed excitedly. Derek prepared himself and leaned forward to blow them out, but Janie covered his mouth before he could exhale. "You're supposed to make a wish first, silly." Derek and Kimberlee let out laughs. Derek closed his eyes and made a wish and proceeded to blow out his candles. Kimberlee and Janie clapped and began to cut the cake. Kimberlee got plates and forks from the kitchen and they began to eat.

"Thanks for this you two." Derek said as he finished up his second slice of cake. "Did you buy this cake or did you make it?"

"Did you like it?" Kimberlee asked as she gathered the trash.

"It was great." He answered.

"Then yea…of course I made it!" Kimberlee lied with a sarcastic smile. Derek laughed as Janie ran out from her bedroom with a gift.

"What's this, kiddo?" Derek asked Janie.

"It's a present from me and Kimi! Open it!" She yelled. Kimberlee stood behind the couch and watched her uncle open the present. Derek's eyes filled with tears as he opened the pages of the scrap book. His eyes glazed over the pictures of him and Sarah when they were kids. The pictures from old to newer. As he turned the pages there were pictures of him with Janie and Kimberlee. Derek hugged Kimberlee and kissed Janie on the forehead.

"This is great…" Derek mustered up. He was speechless. Kimberlee nodded to Janie and she left the room. Kimberlee sat down next to a quiet Morgan.

"I'm glad you like your gift." She began.

"It's great. I love it." He said rubbing his hands over the leather cover. He looked up at her and looked in her eyes. "You ready for this?" He asked putting the book down on the coffee table.

"Yea, Uncle Derek…I think I'm ready to talk."

* * *

><p>an

Sorry it took me so long to update. I was more focused on other stories. So enjoy this was the last part!


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